#Discipleship and prayer

[byfaithmedia]

Yes Lord 🙌🏻

[pinkpetalbee]

🌟 May you embrace the power within you to cultivate any quality you desire, knowing that by embodying it in your actions, you make it your own. 🌟

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

The Leper's Prayer (Leviticus 14:1-32; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16)

1 And when he had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came up to [him] and did him homage, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou art able to cleanse me. 3 And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be cleansed. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus says to him, See thou tell no man, but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses ordained, for a testimony to them.

The Centurion's Great Faith (Luke 7:1-10; John 4:43-54)

5 And when he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, beseeching him, 6 and saying, Lord, my servant lies paralytic in the house, suffering grievously. 7 And Jesus says to him, I will come and heal him. 8 And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not fit that thou shouldest enter under my roof; but only speak a word, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to this [one], Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my bondman, Do this, and he does it. 10 And when Jesus heard it, he wondered, and said to those who followed, Verily I say unto you, Not even in Israel have I found so great faith. 11 But I say unto you, that many shall come from [the] rising and setting [sun], and shall lie down at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens; 12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, be it to thee. And his servant was healed in that hour.

Jesus Heals at Peter's House (Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41)

14 And when Jesus had come to Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law laid down and in a fever; 15 and he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and served him. 16 And when the evening was come, they brought to him many possessed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were ill; 17 so that that should be fulfilled which was spoken through Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities and bore our diseases.

The Cost of Following Jesus (Luke 9:57-62; Luke 14:25-33; John 6:60-65)

18 And Jesus, seeing great crowds around him, commanded to depart to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou mayest go. 20 And Jesus says to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven roosting-places; but the Son of man has not where he may lay his head. 21 But another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go away and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.

Jesus Stills the Storm (Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25)

23 And he went on board ship and his disciples followed him; 24 and behold, [the water] became very agitated on the sea, so that the ship was covered by the waves; but he slept. 25 And the disciples came and awoke him, saying, Lord save: we perish. 26 And he says to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then, having arisen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 But the men were astonished, saying, What sort [of man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

Demons Cast into Pigs (Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39)

28 And there met him, when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, two possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding dangerous, so that no one was able to pass by that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Son of God? hast thou come here before the time to torment us? 30 Now there was, a great way off from them, a herd of many swine feeding; 31 and the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said to them, Go. And they, going out, departed into the herd of swine; and lo, the whole herd [of swine] rushed down the steep slope into the sea, and died in the waters. 33 But they that fed them fled, and went away into the city and related everything, and what had happened as to those possessed by demons. 34 And behold, the whole city went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged [him] to go away out of their coasts. — Matthew 8 | 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY) The Darby Translation of the Holy Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 43:33; Exodus 4:7; Leviticus 13:49; Judges 11:12; 1 Samuel 2:9; 1 Kings 19:20; Psalm 65:7; Psalm 104;12; Psalm 107:20; Psalm 112:10; Isaiah 49:12; Isaiah 53:4; Isaiah 59:19; Daniel 7:13; Amos 7:12; Habakkuk 3:10; Malachi 1:11; Matthew 4:23-24; Matthew 7:6; Matthew 7:29; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 9:18; Matthew 9:22; Mark 1:27; Mark 1:29-30; Mark 1:32; Mark 2:14; Mark 4:35-36; Mark 4:38; Mark 5:1; Mark 5:13; Luke 4:38; Luke 9:57; Luke 4:40; Luke 7:1; Luke 7:3; Luke 7:9; Luke 8:22; Luke 8:34; Luke 9:1; John 4:50; Acts 2:7; 1 Corinthians 16:6; Revelation 22:15

[hopethroughscriptureministries]

Title: "Navigating the Challenges of the Last Days:

Insights from Biblical Wisdom"

Introduction: Embark on a transformative journey through biblical wisdom as we navigate the challenges and complexities of the last days. Explore with us as we glean insights from scripture to understand the characteristics of people in the end times and discover how we can stand firm in faith amidst the shifting tides of society.

Scripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) Cross References: Matthew 24:10-12, Luke 21:34-36, Jude 1:17-23

Commentary: In 2 Timothy 3, Paul provides a sobering depiction of the attitudes and behaviors prevalent in the last days. He warns of people being lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This description serves as a cautionary reminder for believers to remain vigilant and steadfast in their faith.

In Matthew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus forewarns of the dangers of being weighed down by the anxieties and distractions of life, urging believers to be watchful and prayerful in preparation for his return.

Jude, in his letter, exhorts believers to contend for the faith earnestly, recognizing the presence of scoffers and mockers in the last days who will follow their own ungodly desires. He encourages believers to build themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and keeping themselves in God's love.

Application Questions:

How do the characteristics of people in the last days described in scripture resonate with the realities of today's society?

In what ways can we guard against being influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of the world while remaining engaged in it?

How does prayer and spiritual discipline equip us to withstand the challenges of the last days?

What practical steps can we take to share the hope of Christ and the truth of the gospel amidst a culture that opposes it?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in the midst of the challenges and trials of the last days, grant us wisdom and discernment to navigate the complexities of this world. Strengthen us to stand firm in our faith, rooted and grounded in your truth, even as the world around us grows increasingly hostile to your ways. May we be beacons of light and hope in a dark and uncertain world, pointing others to the saving grace found in Christ. Amen.

[mjrimando]

Forever God is Faithful

Are you feeling hopeless? Are you pressured into reaching your dreams? Let's take a look at the faithfulness of God to us. Click on the title to read the whole article. Enjoy reading! :)

[faithful-surrender]

Yes, this!!!

[trespasser-press]

I have been away from technology. I apologize for my silence. Though, none of us have found each other yet, it's important that I speak directly to you. Right now. Whenever you see this.

It's been about a week, I'd say. I was out in the forest for two days, testing my limits. I am not cut out for roughing it just yet. I tended to the garden and I meditated as much as my busy mind could let me.

It feels like something awaits us. Something big. Good or bad, I don't know. I do not have those abilities.

In my dreams, I'm sitting across from beings of light that my mind can't comprehend the nature of. We talk like old friends.

I can never remember what they say to me.

I miss them.

[drshermaines-wisdomnuggets]

"CONTACTING GOD'S COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT"

Psalm 142:1-2, “I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy. I spill out all my complaints before Him, and spell out my troubles in detail.” (MSG) My dear friend Brett, in my opinion, has the absolute worse job in all the world…you see, Brett’s full-time job is handling consumer complaints! Now, he’s what I call a definite prime candidate for a lot of antacid commercials! Can you…

[markmcole]

How Do I Follow Jesus?

Following Jesus involves a personal relationship with Him, and it’s a lifelong journey of growing in faith and becoming more like Him. Here are some practical steps you can take to follow Jesus: Read the Bible: The Bible is God’s Word and it’s the primary way that He speaks to us. Make a habit of reading the Bible regularly and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it and apply it to your…

[lawrenceop]

HOMILY for 13th Sat per annum (II)

Amos 9:11-15; Ps 84; Matthew 9:14-17

When new wine is made, the grape juice is put into new skins and allowed to ferment. The result of this fermentation process is the conversion of the sugars in the grape juice into alcohol. As the wine ferments, carbon dioxide is produced, and this build up of gas produces considerable pressure on the wineskin. An old wine skin, which has little elasticity would burst; the wine is lost. A new wine skin, however, stretches and is able to contain the wine. 

Jesus likens the Gospel to new wine; an image much favoured by the early Dominicans, as the Irish Dominican Fr Paul Murray OP reminds us in his enjoyable book, 'The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality'. The wine-making process involves the wonderful transformation of grape juice into something new and exhilarating; the natural is enhanced by the vintner to become something, so to speak, super-natural. Hence, the Gospel, our encounter with Jesus Christ, transforms our ordinary natural human lives and makes of them something new, exciting, and rich; transformed by supernatural grace we are destined for a glory that we could never have imagined. But in order to contain all this and not burst, we need to be renewed in heart and mind, to be stretched, and have our hearts and souls enlarged so that we can love as Christ does. So, to be stretched, we need to become like new wineskins.

The sense is that if we hold on to our old habits and ways of thinking and behaving; if we do not let the Spirit stretch us so that we become more magnanimous, generous, and elastic, then we would burst as old wineskins do, and risk losing the new wine of sanctifying grace poured into us at baptism. In St Luke’s version of this discussion, Jesus suggests that some people are too attached to the old vintage, preferring old wine to the new. But old wine - that is, life without sanctifying grace - becomes vinegar, leaving a sour taste in the mouth. So, we're being exhorted to co-operate with grace and so, to move on from our old life, from our sinful bad habits and world views which constrain and limit us. We’re exhorted to imbibe instead the newness and freedom that the Christian life brings.

For ultimately, the new wine whom we're given to drink is Christ himself; it is the Eucharist, and what is poured into our lives is nothing less than God's divine life. Or think of it like champagne, a festive celebratory wine bubbling with the effervescence of the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. This new wine of life in the Holy Trinity should so intoxicate us that we cannot help but be joyful, enthusiastic preachers of the Gospel as we celebrate with Christ the Bridegroom. 

But perhaps, in our time and in this nation, sometimes it seems that the Bridegroom has become elusive; our Christian joy and confidence and faith wavers. So perhaps now is the time to fast and do penance and pray, as we shall do this evening through our first Saturday devotions. We pray and make reparation for sins against Mary’s Immaculate Heart; we pray that nations may rediscover the joy of the new wine of the Gospel; and we pray that the vision of Amos will be accomplished. As the Lord says: “they will plant vineyards and drink their wine.” So, let us in our parishes and in our communities plant vineyards, that is to say, engage in sound catechesis and preaching and a joyful Christian witness, so that people may come and drink the new wine of the Gospel, indeed, the wine of God’s Kingdom who is Jesus Christ himself. 

[byfaithmedia]

God is Great!

[pinkpetalbee]

🌈 Dear Divine, thank you for the beauty and diversity of gender expression. We rejoice in the freedom to play with our appearance, to mix and match in ways that express our true selves. May we continue to embrace and celebrate the unique beauty of every individual. Amen. 🌟

[biblebloodhound]

Ephesians 4:1-6 – Realizing Unity and Peace through Humility

"Only humility will lead us to unity, and unity to peace." Mother Teresa

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and…

[parableist]

He is risen, but will you follow him out of the tomb?